AMG has been tuning, building and developing V8 engines from day one, and among their most famous efforts is the 6.2 litre naturally aspirated unit that made its debut under the bonnet of the Mercedes-Benz CLK and CLS 63 AMG in 2006. Known as the M156, the engine would replace the older 5.4 litre naturally aspirated and supercharged V8s across the model range, delivering between 451 and 622 bhp depending on its application. It would even feature in the R-Class MPV.

Having already made its mark in the passenger car range, the engine would be reworked and given a new role as the centrepiece for AMG’s first ground-up standalone model: the SLS AMG. For use in the super sports car, the engine gained a dry sump lubrication system and a new name: M159. This powered the SLS in its gullwing coupé, roadster, GT and Black Series forms throughout its time in production, although a 13 year old Ken would take a look at the apparent space under the bonnet when visiting the AMG headquarters in Affalterbach and ask the very knowledgeable man guiding me around the one-off Indian Summer special variant: “It looks like there’s room for the V12 under this bonnet, what do you think?” The response was a chuckle, followed by “Never say never.” The knowledgeable man was Ola Kallaneius, then head of Mercedes-AMG, and now head of Mercedes-Benz AG.

The SLS became the platform for Mercedes-AMG’s return to GT racing, with the car being developed to fit the regulations of the GT3 category - gullwing doors and all. The SLS GT3 would take numerous wins worldwide, including the Bathurst 12 Hour, Dubai 24 Hour, Spa 24 Hour and Nurburgring 24 Hour races. However, the SLS AMG as a road car would bow out of production in 2014, to be replaced by a smaller, more affordable and more turbocharged car that would be a closer rival to the Porsche 911.

The motoring press at the time went into overdrive with the news that the last bastions of the naturally aspirated 6.2 litre V8 would be leaving production, with their replacements set to have a brand new 4.0 litre twin turbocharged V8. Forgetting that AMG had introduced the 5.5 litre twin turbocharged M157 engine in 2011, there were huge doubts that the new downsized unit could get anywhere near the performance and character of the much loved 6.2 litre unit. Those doubts evaporated the moment that the M177 and M178 were experienced under the bonnets of the new C 63 and AMG GT.

With the future looking turbocharged, and the need for the successful SLS AMG GT3 to be succeeded on the race track, work began on its replacement. Everyone expected the name to be as imaginative as the model that came before, and for the new engine of the road car to find its way under the bonnet, but only one of those things would prove to be true when the Mercedes-AMG GT3 was unveiled. Nestled up against the firewall was the 6.2 litre naturally aspirated V8. But how?

In short: the AMG GT wasn’t an all new car; it would be insane to develop a bespoke chassis, produce it for four years before throwing it in the bin and starting all over again - a relatively mainstream manufacturer would simply never recover its costs by doing that. With that in mind, the front-mid engine layout with dry sump lubrication, transaxle gearbox, carbon prop shaft and rear-biased (47/53%) weight distribution all make sense: they’re carryovers from the SLS AMG. 

As a result, there was always some compatibility baked in for the use of the existing, reliable, race proven and race winning M159 engine to continue. But how could this be allowed when the base model has a totally different engine? The GT3 rules state that a manufacturer can use an engine found in the homologation model, or another engine from their model range; if BMW really wanted to, they could fit the M4 GT3 with the 4.4 litre V8 from the M5, or the 1.5 litre three-cylinder from the 1 Series to their racer. I know which one I’d rather see.

Since its competition debut in 2015, the AMG GT3 has gone on to win countless races and championships across the globe, most recently (on my radar, at least) taking the top spot in the GTD class at the 24 Hours of Daytona in January of 2024. It received an Evo version - the racing car equivalent of a facelift - in 2020 which improved the performance and driveability of the car, while adding the enormous trapezoid grille that would go on to be seen on the GT Black Series road car, which actually looks proportionally correct when seen in person.

While the vast majority of the GT3 chassis sold have gone to fulfil their purposes as racing cars, many of them have ended up in collections or for private use. As part of their 55th anniversary celebrations, Mercedes-AMG built 5 special GT3s as track day cars, and now to mark the end of the line for the soon to be replaced racer, the brand have shown the Edition 130Y Motorsport. This uses the already impressive GT3 model as its base, but as it is not intended for competition it ignores some of the limiting factors of the regulation book.

The air vents and louvres have been redesigned, a modified splitter sits at the base of the huge grille, changes have been made to the floor, side skirts and diffuser and the widened rear wing features a Formula 1-style drag reduction system. Overall downforce is raised by 15% compared to the competition model, and a top speed in excess of 193 mph is possible. This isn’t all down to aero though; the final iteration of the M159 naturally aspirated V8 receives new intakes and side-exit exhausts to increase maximum power to 671 bhp at 7,250 rpm, and peak torque to 538 lb ft (730 Nm) at 5,250 rpm.

The performance is sent to the rear wheels via a carbon fibre prop shaft and a six-speed sequential transaxle, before reaching the ground through slick tyres. These surround 18” black forged alloy wheels that look similar to those found on the new roadgoing Mercedes-AMG GT. Also found at each corner are carbon brakes, and four-way adjustable suspension, so there will be plenty of scope to perfect the setup around your favourite track that isn’t too strict on noise limits. A prototype version of what we now know to be the Edition 130Y Motorsport set a lap record around Bathurst ahead of the 2024 edition of the 12 Hour race. The impressive time of 1 minute and 56.605 seconds was the fastest lap completed by an enclosed cockpit car, however just one week later the Ford Transit Supervan needed just 1 minute and 56.324 seconds to complete its tour of Mount Panorama.

While the bodywork and wheels share a clear resemblance to the modern GT road cars, the special livery applied to the car is in reference to the original post-war grand tourer that conquered the roads and racing circuits in the early 1950s: the 300 SL. The blue rhombus and grille surrounds are there to honour the gullwing racers that won the Carrera Panamericana and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1952. Likewise, the interior sees blue and white checked fabric on the driver’s seat, leather door pulls and headrest, along with walnut wood on the steering wheel. One interior feature appears to be carried over from the C190-generation AMG GT, and that is the central air vent. That said, it would’ve been found on the outer edge of the dashboard in the road car, and appears to be turned on its side which drives me mad.

The final nod to Mercedes’ racing history is found in the name: the Edition 130Y Motorsport makes reference to the inaugural Paris - Rouen race on July 22nd 1894, and this is commonly seen as the birth of motorsport. The race was won by a car powered by a Daimler-licensed engine (read that as “Peugeot”). Only 13 examples will be made, each costing around £1.3 million after taxes. For that, owners will get a 1:8 scale model of their car, a full-sized car cover, a personalised racing suit complete with gloves, shoes, helmet from BELL and a carry bag to place them all in, along with a certificate of authenticity. More importantly, the car comes with the final few examples of the renowned and much loved 6.2 litre naturally aspirated V8 which I’m sure you can hear while reading this; I’ve been hearing the throaty bellow in my head throughout my time writing this article.

So surprisingly, the final naturally aspirated AMG engine was not made in 2015 when the SLK 55 reached the end of its production run; it didn’t really end at all. With the announcement of the AMG GT3 Edition 130Y Motorsport, the brand has indirectly confirmed that the competition version of the new AMG GT will use the 4.0 litre twin turbocharged engine - which makes sense, given that the car is twinned with the SL and sits on a totally new platform. The engine has been testing around the world in something called the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 since 2018, so its reliability and performance has already been proven. 

Regardless, it’s only fitting to let the much loved 6.2 litre engine realise its full potential and go out with a bang, crackle and a roar in this track-only special. I just hope the 13 lucky owners take the car out from under its cover, and let it reach the rev limiter over and over again.